Planting In Sand TIPS

[BiGBlak]

I have CaribSea Tahitian Black Sand in my tank and i trying to plant . I know that sand isnt beneficial to live plant and over time actually kills them if you dont help them with fluorite tabs and such things like that. Right now i have a few bunches of swords that are nearly dead and a few bunches of Java Fern and a ball of java moss. Im not really tripping about them dying at first because i just put them in there during my cycle and it helped me with that and helped me look at that tank during that process and where pretty cheap i guess.

For future plants that i will be buying i would like to know any tips out there to one keep the plants rooted because i dont think any of my plants are rooted after 2 weeks and 2 making sure they dont die and get brown like they are now any tips on what i could buy or do to help rooting and prevent death ?

[WhiteDevil]

not many root in sand, water wisteria does very well in sand as it gets nutrients from the water more-so then the gravel.

i never used root tabs in my sand only tank and 3 years later still have plants from that tank flourishing. You can get good deals on root tabs online. check planted tank forums and their classifieds(suggesting since its a planted tank site and well).
I use aquariumplants.com root pellets and love em.

[AmyLynn]

You might consider removing some of that black tahitian sand and mixing in a plant substrate. I really like my black flourite.

[Brhino]

neither java ferns nor java moss like to be buried in the substrate anyhow, they should be tied to rocks, driftwood, or other decorations until they latch on on their own.

[BiGBlak]

neither java ferns nor java moss like to be buried in the substrate anyhow, they should be tied to rocks, driftwood, or other decorations until they latch on on their own.

My main concern is the swords. For now until I run across something I would like to see in my tank im only planning on going with those three . My moss ball I got just sitting on my driftwood I'm going to tie my fern to the driftwood along with some moss and jus have swords planted in the substrate . Are swords strictly root growing plants ? Or 50\50 with light?

[Brhino]

all plants need both light and other nutrients. Most plants with roots harvest nutrients through them, so if the roots are in the soil that's where they'll get it from. Swords in particular are notorious nutrient hogs.